UPPER LAKE, Calif. – An early morning high speed chase around Upper Lake led to a vehicle crash and a small vegetation fire.

The crash occurred just before 2:30 a.m. Friday on Elk Mountain Road.

For about 15 minutes before the crash, Lake County Sheriff's deputies were involved in a chase with a vehicle – a description of which was not immediately available – according to radio traffic.

The pursuit wound all over Upper Lake, with the vehicle being chased by deputies running stop signs and speeding past the high school at about 50 miles per hour, based on radio reports.

The chase then led onto Elk Mountain Road, where deputies reported that the vehicle they were chasing was crossing the double yellow lines and traveling at speeds of about 80 miles per hour. At that point, deputies were reporting that they believed three juveniles were in the pursuit vehicle's back seat.

The vehicle finally crashed into a ditch in the area of 12657 Elk Mountain Road, with the driver bailing out and running toward the White Rock Canyon area, deputies said.

Deputies said the vehicle burst into flames, and they requested firefighters respond due to the fire moving quickly into vegetation. A total of four people were reported to be injured.

Northshore Fire and Cal Fire responded. Firefighters arriving on scene initially requested a REACH air ambulance, later canceling it and transporting patients via ground ambulance.

The forward progress of the fire was stopped just after 3 a.m., with the size estimated at an eighth of an acre, according to radio reports.

Just before 3:45 a.m., reports from the scene indicated that fire units would be on scene for mop up for up to an hour.

It was not clear early Friday if the driver of the vehicle was located and taken into custody.

Email Elizabeth Larson at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. . Follow her on Twitter, @ERLarson, or Lake County News, @LakeCoNews.

LOWER LAKE, Calif. – The service of multiple search warrants by the Lake County Sheriff’s Narcotics Unit has resulted in 12 arrests and the seizure of 1,787 marijuana plants from both Lake and Lassen counties.

The suspects arrested were identified as being members of a drug trafficking organization, according to Lt. Steve Brooks.

On Aug. 23, the Sheriff’s Narcotics Unit was assisted by the National Guard with the execution of a search warrant on two adjacent land parcels in the 8000 block of Rock Creek Road in Lower Lake, Brooks said.

Brooks said that one subject fled the scene, but was quickly apprehended and identified as 50-year-old Bill Lee of Fresno.

Detectives also located and detained 38-year-old Zia Her, 58-year-old Yia Thao, 28-year-old Tou Vang, 57-year-old Yee Vang and 46-year-old Ariya Yang, all of Fresno, Brooks said.

During a search of the two properties, detectives located numerous newly constructed makeshift wooden huts constructed along the banks of Rocky Creek, according to Brooks. Each of the huts was associated with an outdoor marijuana cultivation site. 

Brooks said detectives seized 666 large outdoor marijuana plants growing near the creek and arrested the six subjects, all of whom were arrested for cultivating marijuana and possession of marijuana for sale. They were transported to the Lake County Hill Road Correctional Facility and booked. 

Detectives determined Bill Lee owned two large land parcels in a remote area of Lassen County. Brooks said the two parcels border public lands which are patrolled by the Bureau of Land Management. With assistance from BLM, detectives confirmed outdoor marijuana was also being cultivated on those properties. 

On Sept. 1, the Sheriff’s Narcotics Unit was assisted by personnel from Lassen County Sheriff’s Department, California Department of Justice, Bureau of Land Management, California Fish and Wildlife and United States Forest Service with the service of a search warrant on the property, which Brooks said is approximately 40 miles north of Susanville.

During a search of the two land parcels, detectives located and seized 1,121 outdoor marijuana plants and a loaded rifle. Brooks said detectives also located an area of newly constructed huts and travel trailers on the two land parcels. 

Detectives located and arrested six subjects who were identified as Fresno residents 66-year-old Xia Lee, 57-year-old Rocky Lee, 53-year-old Paul Yang, 21-year-old Loa Xiong and 69-year-old Shou Sue Lee, and 38-year-old Kevin Vue of Broken Park, Minn, Brooks reported.

Brooks said they whey were transported to the Lassen County Jail and booked for cultivating marijuana and possession of marijuana for sale.

Anyone with information that can assist the Sheriff’s Narcotics Task Force in its efforts to eradicate narcotics from Lake County's communities and seize the suspected profits of drug trafficking for asset forfeiture is encouraged to call the anonymous tip line at 707-263-3663.

LAKE COUNTY, Calif. – Lake County health officials have confirmed the first human case of West Nile virus in the county this year, at the same time as new detections of the virus have been reported in sentinel chicken flocks.

Lake County Public Health received confirmation this week of the human West Nile virus case, according to Dr. Karen Tait, the county's health officer.

Due to privacy laws, Tait could not give a lot of specifics about the case, which involve a Lake County resident.

She said the individual, who is in their 50s, contracted the infection in late July in the county. The patient recalled being at home and getting a mosquito bite.

“The patient actually recovered really well,” with no complications, said Tait.

Because West Nile virus is a reportable disease, it's part of Public Health's routine surveillance, Tait said.

The law requires that both health care providers and laboratories report the diagnosis to Public Health, she said.

“For reporting and verification purposes, clinical lab tests sometimes have false positives,” said Tait, so before they can count a case, it has to be confirmed through a public health lab.

Those public health labs usually require about a 21-day turnaround, said Tait. “That's why there is such a long lag time before we could announce it,” she said, although in a previous report on West Nile issued late in August Tait had stated that they were investigating a suspected human case.

Lake County had two human cases of West Nile virus last year and one case in 2014, according to state records.

As of Aug. 31, 123 human cases of West Nile virus had been reported in 23 of California's 58 counties, an increase from the 97 cases reported at the same time last year. Forty-six of current cases were reported in the past week, according to health officials.

Two West Nile virus-related fatalities were reported this year by Sacramento and Yolo counties. 

Health officials said it only takes one bite to get West Nile virus from an infected mosquito, and anyone of any age can get this disease.

Symptoms of the mild form of West Nile virus include fever, headache, body aches, nausea vomiting, and occasionally swollen lymph glands or a skin rash. While the illness may last only a few days, some people report being sick for several weeks.

The severe form of West Nile, which occurs in less than 1 percent of cases, can affect the nervous system and can be fatal. 

Tait said Public Health coordinates with the Lake County Vector Control District to do mosquito trapping in areas of concerns and additional abatement if it's warranted.

Vector Control conducts routine surveillance for West Nile virus throughout the active season. Positive detections typically occur in mosquitoes, followed by dead birds and sentinel chicken flocks. 

The district reported that two sentinel chickens recently tested positive, bringing the total to four for the year. Additionally, 32 mosquito samples and three dead birds in Lake County have tested positive for West Nile virus. 

“Finding West Nile virus in sentinel chickens shows that there is risk for people to get West Nile virus from the mosquitoes that are biting now,” said Jamesina Scott, Ph.D., district manager and research director.

Tait said all indications are that West Nile virus season is in full swing. “Since there is no specific treatment for the virus, the best approach is to avoid exposure to mosquito bites.”

People can become infected with West Nile virus when bitten by a mosquito after it has bitten an infected bird, the reservoir for the virus, according to Tait and Scott.

Dr. Scott explained that local West Nile virus activity often continues into September and October.  “The risk of picking up West Nile virus from a mosquito bite is highest now because the mosquitoes are older – they’ve fed several times and have had more chances to pick up West Nile virus and pass it along to the next host they bite.”

She recommended that residents inspect their yards for sources of standing water where mosquitoes develop, such as ornamental ponds, wading pools and unmaintained swimming pools. 

“Getting rid of standing water in your yard prevents mosquitoes from growing there and protects you, your family, and your neighbors from mosquito bites and the diseases they carry,” she said.

Scott said people want to know what the “best” repellent is. “The best repellent is the one that you will use, and there are several good choices now available as sprays, lotions, or wipes.” 

The US Environmental Protection Agency has registered five different active ingredients in mosquito repellents that are proven effective: DEET, Picaridin, oil of lemon eucalyptus, IR3535, and para-menthane-diol (a synthetic version of oil of lemon eucalyptus. These five ingredients are proven to be effective and safe Scott explained. 

“But they only work if you apply them,” Scott said. “And always read the label and follow the directions.” 

Contracting the virus is largely preventable by taking simple, but very important precautions, such as the following, suggested by Vector Control:

– Dump or drain standing water. Mosquitoes can't begin their lives without water. If the water cannot be drained (like an unused swimming pool), call the Lake County Vector Control District at 707-263-4770 for free mosquitofish.

– Defend yourself against mosquitoes by using repellents containing DEET, Picaridin, IR3535 or oil of lemon eucalyptus. For more information about effective mosquito repellents, visit the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention at http://www.cdc.gov/westnile/faq/repellent.html .

– Avoid being outdoors when mosquitoes are present, typically dawn and dusk.

– Report neglected swimming pools by calling 707-263-4770 or visiting www.lcvcd.org . Anonymous calls are accepted. Just one neglected pool can produce more than one million mosquitoes and affect people up to five miles away.

Residents can contact the Lake County Vector Control District at 707-263-4770 from 7:30 a.m. to 4 p.m., Monday through Friday, or online at www.LCVCD.org to request help for mosquito problems, report neglected pools and other mosquito sources, or for information about mosquitoes, ticks, and other vectors and the disease they transmit. 

Email Elizabeth Larson at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. . Follow her on Twitter, @ERLarson, or Lake County News, @LakeCoNews.

KELSEYVILLE, Calif. – The Clear Lake Area California Highway Patrol will offer a free “Start Smart” traffic safety class for soon to-be-licensed, newly licensed, and teenage drivers and their parents or guardians on Wednesday, Sept. 14.

The class will take place from 6 to 8 p.m. at the Clear Lake Area CHP office, located at 5700 Live Oak Drive in Kelseyville.

The leading cause of death for Americans 15 to 19 years old is motor vehicle collisions, according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.

The CHP's goal is to reduce the death rate among young drivers as the result of these collisions.

“The CHP is committed to mitigating traffic collisions involving young, inexperienced drivers, because they are preventable,” said Lt. Hector Paredes, commander of the CHP's Clear Lake Area office. “Start Smart is an excellent program that promotes safe driving for young new drivers.”

The “Start Smart” program is aimed at helping newly licensed and future licensed teenage drivers understand the critical responsibilities of driving and to understand that accidents happen, but collisions are 100-percent preventable. 

The program is designed to provide an interactive safe driving awareness class which will illustrate how poor choices behind the wheel of a car can affect the lives of numerous people.

“Start Smart” also focuses on responsibilities of newly licensed drivers, responsibilities of parents or guardians and collision avoidance techniques.

Space is limited for this class. For more information or reservations, call Officer Kory Reynolds at the CHP office, 707-279-0103.

CLEARLAKE, Calif. – A local man known for carrying a Japanese sword with him everywhere drowned in Clear Lake after falling out of his kayak while on the way to an island to practice his swordsmanship.

The body of Kenneth Anthony Jacintho, 30, of Clearlake was recovered on Monday, according to Lt. Steve Brooks of the Lake County Sheriff's Office.

Brooks said Jacintho was reported missing on Sept. 2 after falling out of his kayak in the water off of Clearlake.

At about 6:15 p.m. that day Central Dispatch received a call about a boating accident that occurred offshore of Austin Beach, Brooks said.

Brooks said the report came in from a 16-year-old female who had been in the boat with Jacintho.

The teen told authorities that she and Jacintho – who she identified as her swordsmanship teacher – had launched a small kayak from Austin Beach, Brooks said.

The two were headed toward “Sunflower Island,” which Brooks said is another name for Monitor Island. Maps show that the island is about three miles away from the beach.

Brooks said they were paddling in a northwest direction when the kayak got turned sideways by wind-driven waves. The waves then knocked both Jacintho and the teenager into the water.

They tried to swim toward the kayak but Brooks said the wind blew it away from them.

As Jacintho was trying to get to the kayak, he yelled “No!” and disappeared under the water, based on the teenager’s report to authorities, Brooks said.

Brooks said the teen then swam to shore and reported the accident. Sgt. Andy Davidson, who heads up the Sheriff’s Marine Patrol, already was in the area and coordinated the search for Jacintho ahead of the arrival of another Marine Patrol member, Sgt. Dennis Ostini.

The Northshore Dive Team responded and assisted with the search, according to Northshore Fire Chief Jay Beristianos.

Beristianos said the team made a dive looking for Jacintho but only found a tree that on the sonar resembled a body with the arms up.

Brooks said shortly after 9 a.m. Monday a woman who was out kayaking saw Jacintho’s body floating in the water off of Austins Beach and called to report it.

Ostini got to the scene just after 9:30 a.m. and found Jacintho 400 feet off of Austins Beach, Brooks said.

During the search Jacintho's kayak also was recovered. Brooks said it had two samurai swords – also known as katanas – strapped to it.

Lt. Tim Celli, acting chief of the Clearlake Police Department, said Jacintho was known for carrying a sword with him everywhere around the city.

Jacintho also went by the name “Kairo Seijuro,” which is how the teenager who reported the boating accident referred to him, according to the sheriff’s office report.

Under the Seijuro name, he was profiled by an Arizona television station in 2012 after a video surfaced of him breaking up a fight on a light rail train by wielding his sword at some of the combatants.

However, his claims of having studied swordsmanship in Japan were questioned in a number of online videos and forums by martial arts practitioners.

He moved from Arizona to Clearlake in 2014, according to posts on his Facebook page.

Brooks said Jacintho's cause of death is pending autopsy results.

Jacintho’s drowning is the fifth on Clear Lake this year, all of them occurring since the Memorial Day weekend, Brooks said.

All of the drowning victims were men, four of them having been boating shortly before their deaths occurred.

Email Elizabeth Larson at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. . Follow her on Twitter, @ERLarson, or Lake County News, @LakeCoNews.